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With Colvin going to IR, AD shifts to outside linebacker and we have Tedy and Junior in the middle, who are both average at this point and also injury risks.

Additionally, our 3rd-and-short and goal-line defense wasn't impressive even before Colvin went down. For some reason Mike Wright is in the short yardage packages, and I have noticed all season that teams run right at him and always pick up the 1st down or touchdown, he isn't stout at the point of attack.

I think our outside pressure and play will continue to be great, that Adalius will be a beast outside, but our inside linebacking corps just got worse, and we were never strong in short yardage defense in the first place. Chad Brown is not the answer in any way.

I think we'll be okay as long as we lead (which will be most of the time). But tough short yardage and inside running defense is our achilles heel now. Thoughts.. ?

With Colvin going to IR, AD shifts to outside linebacker and we have Tedy and Seau in the middle, who are both average at this point and also injury risks.

Additionally, our 3rd-and-short and goal-line defense hasn't been impressive even before Colvin went down. For some reason Mike Wright is in the short yardage packages, and I have noticed all season that teams run right at him and always pick up the 1st down or touchdown, he isn't stout at the point of attack.

I think our outside pressure and play will continue to be great, that Adalius will be a beast outside, but our inside linebacking corps just got worse, and we were never strong in short yardage defense in the first place. Chad Brown is not the answer in any way.

Thoughts.. ?

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Wright was in there at times because Vince when out.

The key will be first down and second down and pushing teams into third and long where the Pats bring in their Nickle package anyways. Plus the Pats have played a 4 man line at times. I expect to see a little chad brown, I'd like to see pierre wood and what he has to offer, but i'm skeptical he'll see any legit playing time. plus we have eric alexander.

basically it's AD, Seau, Bruschi, and Vrabel..... it's gonna be conserving them for the next 5 weeks and keeping them good for the playoffs.

the colvin loss hurts but at least it isn't welker, brady, moss, or vince

No, even when Vince was in there with Wright playing to Vince's left shoulder (look for this), teams ran right at Wright and almost always got the 1st down or TD. Basically, Vince Wilfork needs to play out of his mind for the rest of the season, raise his game to Ted Washington in his prime type levels.

No, even when Vince was in there with Wright playing to Vince's left shoulder (look for this), teams ran right at Wright and almost always got the 1st down or TD. Basically, Vince Wilfork needs to play out of his mind for the rest of the season, raise his game to Ted Washington in his prime type levels.

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If you're basing this on the Eagles game, you do realize they averaged about 2.9 yards a rush? Plus we are the fifth-best team against the run.

While Seymour was out, teams were doubling up Warren. Seymour hasn't hit his stride yet and Warren still sees more doubles than Seymour. Hopefully, Seymour will hit his stride and that will help free up Warren and Vrabel and even Thomas or Brown or Woods (whomever is playing the opposite side)

McGahee (totally anemic offense, even if he runs all over us they still lose)
Parker (May pose the biggest threat because of the balanced Pitt offense)
Addai (Obviously our biggest problem if they make it to the AFCCG)
Missing someone?

are the only RBs we have to worry about and we most likely won't face a serious run threat other than Addai in the playoffs.

If you're basing this on the Eagles game... Plus we are the fifth-best team against the run.

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No it's not just the Eagles game, this has happened all year, Wright plays next to Wilfork on short yardage and gets blown off the ball every time.

As for the running stats, yes I am familiar with the stats, did you consider it's because we're mostly with a huge lead and teams have to throw it?

The Pats D has given up 7 4th down successes on 10 tries, several of them short running plays where Wright gets blown off. And this isn't counting the times when they score TD's off short runs into Wright or 1st downs on 3rd and short.

pats will use rodney like a ILB/safety combo and play all 3 safeties assuming geno comes back. hurts our safety depth but remember the yr we had beisel and brown, we lost rodney in the 2nd game as well

pats will use rodney like a ILB/safety combo and play all 3 safeties assuming geno comes back. hurts our safety depth but remember the yr we had beisel and brown, we lost rodney in the 2nd game as well

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OK, if the Patriots stick to using the 3-4 primarily (without any roster movement) you're talking about Seau and Bruschi getting a lot of playing time together...I'm not sure that's ideal. Mixing in some 4-3 where you can still rotate Seau and Bruschi to keep them fresh could be an option, and the Patriots have used the 4-3 at times this year. Obviously, they'd still use the 3-4 as their base, but using the 4-3 could keep their current group of LB's healthy. This could also bring Jarvis Green on to the field more as a pass rusher.

Using a 4-2-5 with Rodney moving closer to the LOS would also be an option, as the Patriots have done this before.

Now, what if they don't move AD to OLB fulltime? We're all seem to think they will, but what if they still use him more as a hybrid where he's rotating at both position, while having Woods & Brown rotate at OLB with him? Could the Patriots rotate Eric Alexander at ILB more?

I've thought for awhile now that Woods could have some potential and talent that he just hasn't developed yet....maybe he'll get a chance to show what he's got?

I liked Justin Rogers and was hoping they'd keep him around. In a time like this he could have proven useful. It's to bad the Cowboys grabbed him right up after NE released him.

A healthy Oscar Lua could at least help out as a backup right now as well.

Also, it kind of sucks the Eagles stole NE's LB in the 2007 draft...

Is Edgerton Hartwell still available? During the offseason it seemed NE was interested in him, but he signed with the Bengels instead. Hartwell didn't quite fit in with Cincy's defense so they released him. I'd think about at least bringing him in for a tryout. I mean, it couldn't hurt?

Now, what if they don't move AD to OLB fulltime? We're all seem to think they will, but what if they still use him more as a hybrid where he's rotating at both position, while having Woods & Brown rotate at OLB with him?

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Moveable pieces are AD (ILB/OLB), Rodney (S/OLB?), and I'd like to know whether Meriweather can play FS or not.

If Meriweather can play FS and Sanders is at SS, then on running downs we could have Rodney as an OLB and AD at ILB, and on passing downs shift AD over to OLB and Rodney back to SS. I'd really like to keep the Bruschi/Seau rotation going, these guys are old and should stay fresh by playing part time.